Trump asks Supreme Court to approve cuts to health grants tied to diversity
In its filing, the Justice Department argued that the district court's injunction forces the government to 'continue paying $783 million in federal grants that are undisputedly counter to the administration's priorities.'The NIH, considered the world's largest biomedical research funder, has come under increasing pressure since Trump's return to the presidency in January. Critics say his administration's broad effort to dismantle diversity and health equity programs is politicizing science and jeopardizing public health.'The cuts harm the health of Americans and people across the globe,' warned an open letter signed in June by dozens of NIH scientists and staff. The signatories accused the agency of turning its back on inclusive research and of being complicit in 'a political agenda that undermines evidence-based health policy.'The Trump administration has frequently turned to the Supreme Court — now dominated by a 6-3 conservative majority — to clear legal roadblocks to its sweeping policy changes. So far, the high court has largely sided with the administration on most contested issues since January.The request in the NIH case could have long-term consequences for government-funded research programs, particularly those aimed at addressing racial, gender, and LGBTQ+ disparities in health outcomes.Young's ruling came in two lawsuits challenging the cuts. One was filed by the American Public Health Association, individual researchers and other plaintiffs who called the cuts an "ongoing ideological purge" of projects with a purported connection to gender identity, DEI "or other vague, now-forbidden language." The other was filed by the states, most of them Democratic-led.- EndsWith inputs from ReutersMust Watch
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The Print
15 minutes ago
- The Print
Nuns' arrest: BJP Kerala chief rejects Chhattisgarh CM's conversion allegations
Chandrasekhar said the party state general secretary, Anoop Antony, is already in Chhattisgarh to coordinate things and clarify the matter with the authorities there, and he himself would go there if needed. BJP Kerala president Rajeev Chandrasekhar categorically made it clear that his party would make all possible attempts to release the nuns from jail and bring them back home safe. Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi, Jul 29 (PTI) A day after Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai justified police action against two Keralite Catholic nuns in that state, the BJP in Kerala on Tuesday virtually rejected his statements, saying that they were not involved in any human trafficking or forced conversion attempts. Meanwhile, a delegation of Congress-led UDF MPs landed in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday to meet the nuns. Though forced conversion is a clear issue in states like Chhattisgarh, no such thing has happened in this particular incident, Rajiv Chandrasekhar said. 'We are confident that they (nuns) have not gone there for that (convertions),' he told reporters here. In a post on X, Sai on Monday justified the police action against the nuns, saying, 'Three daughters of Narayanpur were promised nursing training followed by jobs'. An attempt was being made to convert them by human trafficking by luring them, he added. Rejecting the Chhattisgarh CM's remarks, Chandrasekhar said it was just an allegation. 'We believe that no such things have happened there. It is an allegation. Let's see later who has made all these things and for what. Our top priority now is to protect the nuns from the case and bring them back home safe,' he said. When reporters asked whether the BJP condemns the act of Bajrang Dal, who reportedly behaved in an objectionable manner to the nuns, the leader said the party would strongly condemn the unjustified act by anyone. 'There should not be any ambiguity and doubt in that. We will come back only after ensuring justice for the nuns. That's the party's determination,' he said. Chandrasekhar also made it clear that Bajrang Dal is an independent organisation and the BJP is a political party. 'If they do wrong and act against justice, they will be punished,' he added. Criticising the Congress in the matter, the BJP state chief further said, as in other issues, the grand old party is trying to play opportunistic politics in this matter too. The anti-conversion law in Chhattisgarh was passed by the Congress party when it was in power there, he added. Meanwhile, Anoop Antony, who leads the BJP's delegation, met Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma at his residence and told reporters that the Chhattisgarh government assured them it would intervene in the matter in a justifiable manner. He hoped that the government will intervene. He also said more details of the case could not be divulged at the moment as it is sub judice. The UDF MPs, including Benny Behannan, Francis George, and N K Premachandran strongly condemned the arrest of the nuns and said they would go to the prison here and try to meet them at the earliest. 'We will first go to the prison and try to meet the nuns. Then, we will contact the officials concerned. Our aim is to get the nuns released at the earliest,' Behannan told TV channels here. Premachandran alleged that the arrest of the nuns over charges of trafficking and forced conversion was a deliberate and calculated move. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai's justification of the police act was proof for the suspicion that it was carried out with the knowledge and support of the state government and the ruling political leadership here, he charged. Francis George, who was also part of the opposition delegation, sought to know how taking people for a job in a Christian convent would become human trafficking. He further alleged that the arrest of the nuns undermined the fundamental principles, freedom of movement, and religious freedom guaranteed by the Constitution. Before meeting the deputy CM, Anoop Antony said the party designated him to ensure a justifiable intervention in the matter. 'It is Chhattisgarh, and circumstances are different here. So, the objective of my visit is to ensure a justifiable intervention in the matter,' Antony told reporters here. The BJP Kerala unit, which came under vehement attack from political rivals and the church leadership, designated a delegation led by Anoop Antony on Monday to visit the party-ruled Chhattisgarh. The BJP's move came after two Kerala Ministers, P Rajeev and Roshy Augustine, visited the family of nun Preethi, one of the nuns arrested by the Chhattisgarh police. They had visited the family here as directed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, to offer them the full support of the Left government. A Congress delegation, led by Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan and UDF MLAs, also visited the nun's family to express their solidarity on Monday. The Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC), an influential body of the Catholic church in the state, strongly condemned the arrest of nuns, calling it a painful and unacceptable incident, and urged the Centre to take justifiable action. The arrest of two Catholic nuns, hailing from Kerala, in the BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh on charges of human trafficking and forced religious conversion triggered a political controversy in the state. PTI LGK ADB This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Indian Express
15 minutes ago
- Indian Express
US team to visit India on Aug 25 for next round of talks for trade pact
The US team will visit India on August 25 for the next round of negotiations for the proposed bilateral trade agreement between the two countries, an official said on Tuesday. The official added that the two sides continue to be engaged in an interim trade deal as the August 1 deadline is approaching. August 1 marks the end of the suspension period of tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on dozens of countries, including India (26 per cent). 'The US team is visiting for the sixth round of talks,' the official said. India and the US teams concluded the fifth round of talks for the agreement last week in Washington. India's chief negotiator and special secretary in the Department of Commerce Rajesh Agrawal and Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch held the deliberations. These deliberations are important as both sides are looking at finalising an interim trade deal before August 1. On April 2 this year, Trump announced high reciprocal tariffs. The implementation of high tariffs was immediately suspended for 90 days till July 9 and later until August 1, as America is negotiating trade deals with various countries. India has hardened its position on the US demand for duty concessions on agri and dairy products. New Delhi has, so far, not given any duty concessions to any of its trading partners in a free trade agreement in the dairy sector. Certain farmers' associations have urged the government not to include any issues related to agriculture in the trade pact. India is seeking the removal of this additional tariff (26 per cent). It is also looking at the easing of tariffs on steel and aluminium (50 per cent) and the auto sector (25 per cent). These issues are an important part of the trade pact negotiations. Against these, India has reserved its right under the WTO (World Trade Organization) norms to impose retaliatory duties. The country is also seeking duty concessions for labour-intensive sectors, such as textiles, gems and jewellery, leather goods, garments, plastics, chemicals, shrimp, oil seeds, grapes, and bananas, in the proposed trade pact. On the other hand, the US wants duty concessions on certain industrial goods, automobiles, especially electric vehicles, wines, petrochemical products, agri goods, dairy items, apples, tree nuts, and genetically modified crops. The two countries are looking to conclude talks for the first tranche of the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) by fall (September-October) this year. Before that, they are looking for an interim trade pact. India's merchandise exports to the US rose 22.8 per cent to USD 25.51 billion in the April-June quarter this financial year, while imports rose 11.68 per cent to USD 12.86 billion.
The Hindu
15 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Over 770 Palestinians killed at the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's aid distribution sites
At least 1,874 Palestinians have died in aid-related violence since October 2023. Of these, approximately 1,129 — about 60% — were killed in the past two months alone, coinciding with GHF's operations in the region. Most of those killed (at least 1,597) were civilians shot by the Israeli Defense Forces while seeking aid in or around distribution sites, according to data compiled by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), an international non-profit that tracks global violence. The 'Other/Contested Claims' section in the graphic above also includes civilian deaths. However, the exact circumstances of these killings remain disputed, as the claims have been denied or refuted by the alleged perpetrators. Some of these incidents involved Israeli-backed groups rather than the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) directly, according to data compiled from news reports. Also Read: Stop the slaughter: On Trump, Israel and the Gaza war Since May 26, aid-related killings have occurred almost daily. The violence peaked in the third week of June, with June 17 recording the highest single-day toll — 97 people. One in four Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid since May 26 Between May 26 and July 18, the ACLED data shows that 4,157 Palestinians were killed in Gaza. Of these, approximately 1,005 — about 25% — were civilians shot by the IDF while seeking aid or near aid distribution centers. However, ACLED also records numerous incidents where civilians came under direct IDF fire, but the number of casualties could not be confirmed. In comparison, data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) reports that 4,489 Palestinians were killed between May 28 and July 16 alone, bringing the total number of Palestinian deaths since October 7, 2023, to 58,573. Thameen Al-Kheetan, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, on June 24 condemned the inhumane conditions faced by Palestinians and held both the GHF and Israel responsible. 'We are seeing scenes of chaos around the food distribution points of the 'Gaza Humanitarian Foundation' and the few UN humanitarian convoys,' says Mr. Al-Kheetan. 'Israel's militarised humanitarian assistance mechanism is in contradiction with international standards on aid distribution', he adds. Aid distribution: Over 750 of 1,129 killed were in and around GHF aid centres Currently, aid is distributed across Gaza through two distinct channels: one facilitated by United Nations agencies, international aid organizations, and local authorities using pre-existing modes of distribution; the other through distribution sites set up by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Regarding the first channel — comprising the UN and various international aid agencies — Israeli authorities have imposed severe restrictions, rejecting or obstructing the majority of aid delivery requests. Between March 18 and July 15, of the 1,124 humanitarian missions or requests submitted, 633 (56.4%) were either denied (543) or withdrawn (90). Only about one-third (33%) of the missions were successfully carried out without interference from Israeli authorities. In a briefing, the World Food Programme's (WFP) Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, Carl Skau, stated that WFP teams are often stuck spending between 15 to 20 hours straight at checkpoints, fuel supplies and spare parts for vehicles are insufficient, and while there is enough food at the borders to feed the entire population for about two months, incoming supplies are not 'enough to turn the tide of hunger.' The GHF began its aid distribution on May 26, 2025, operating across four sites in Gaza. Three of these sites were in Israeli-militarised zones in the southern region of the strip - on the northern boundary of the 'Morag corridor', and one site is near Wadi Gaza, along the Salah al-Din highway, as shown in the map below. The area surrounding the aid distribution site near Wadi Gaza also soon came under the control of Israeli forces. As of July 23, UNOCHA reported that approximately 87.8% of the Gaza Strip is within the Israeli-militarised zone, under displacement (or evacuation) orders by the IDF, or where these overlap, as shown in the map below. As of July 16, one of the sites (also called 'SDS1', shown above) has been closed by the GHF. At least 771 Palestinians seeking aid have been killed in and around GHF's aid distribution centers between May 26 and July 18. Of these, 708 were reportedly killed by the Israeli Defense Forces. The number of people killed in and around GHF centers on a daily basis is shown below in red and gray. As shown below, 68% of those killed while seeking aid died in or around GHF distribution centres. There were at least 13 additional incidents of the IDF opening fire on civilians and injuring several while they were seeking aid or being in the vicinity of aid distribution centers. In four of these cases, casualty figures remain unknown. Israel-backed armed groups and the anatomy of contested claims The data presented is collated by checking local and international news reports. When it comes to the killings over aid, the 'Others/contested claims' silo in the graphics above is essentially a mixture of the following scenarios: Armed Palestinian gang members or militia looting aid trucks and opening fire on civilians. Hamas or Hamas-affiliated units or forces (like the Sahm Unit) executing or engaging in a clash with armed gangs/clans/militias over looting of aid and theft. In some of these incidents the latter were accused of collaborating with Israel. The IDF striking civilians and either refuting the claim or claiming that the latter were associated with Hamas. Over the course of 21 months, the IDF has claimed to have killed Hamas members on numerous occasions (whether aid-related or not), and there have been several news reports stating that civilians were also brutally targeted in such instances. Apart from what is shown in the graphic above, there were incidents where the IDF claims to have fired 'warning shots,' but people were killed. 2.1 million Palestinians in Gaza face acute food insecurity On July 23, 2025, a day after the head of Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City announced that 21 children had died across the Gaza Strip due to malnutrition and starvation, 111 aid organisations and human rights groups warned that mass starvation is spreading in Gaza. Repeated forced displacements through evacuation orders and destruction of local food production mechanisms has crippled the population and economy. After more than 21 months of relentless bloodshed that has claimed the lives of over 59,000 Palestinians, the people of Gaza are grappling with escalating shortages of food, clean water, medical supplies, and other basic necessities. A report released by UNOCHA on Wednesday (July 23, 2025), states that with the 2.1-million-strong population of Palestinians in Gaza facing a high level of acute food insecurity, one million (10 lakh) or half of them are facing 'emergency levels of food insecurity. And over 470,000 (4.7 lakh) people are facing 'catastrophic' levels of food insecurity. But in Gaza, Palestinians are not safe even while seeking the aid essential for their survival.
